Later years
The
middle years of the decade saw Gissing's reputation reach new heights: by some
critics he is counted alongside George Meredith
and Thomas Hardy as one of
the best three novelists of his day. He also enjoyed new friendships with
fellow writers such as Henry James,
and H.G. Wells, and came
into contact with many other up and coming writers such as Joseph Conrad and Stephen Crane. He made a
second trip to Italy in 1897-1898, and also visited Greece. Towards the end of
the nineties his health declined - he was eventually diagnosed with emphysema - so that he
had to stay at a sanatorium from time to time. In 1898 he met Gabrielle Fleury,
a Frenchwoman who had approached him in order to translate one of his novels,
and fell in love with her. The following year they took part in a private
marriage ceremony in Rouen, even though
Gissing had been unable to obtain a divorce from Edith, and from then on they lived
in France as a couple.
In 1903
Gissing published The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft, which brought him much
acclaim. This is his most autobiographical work. It is the memoir of the last
happy years of a writer who had struggled much like Gissing, but thanks to a
late legacy had been able to give up writing to retire to the countryside.
Gissing
died on 28 December 1903 aged forty-six from the effects of emphysema, after
having caught a chill on an ill-advised winter walk. At his death he left one
unfinished novel, Veranilda, which is
set in
Early life Literary career Later years
Source: Wikipedia